PHD reports 19% breakthrough cases in October

Panhandle Health District reported Thursday that of its 5,269 COVID-19 cases in October, 19% were breakthrough cases — or among those who had been vaccinated.

It also reported that of district patients hospitalized for COVID-19 on Nov. 3, 89% were not fully vaccinated.

Kootenai Health, which recently said that about 15% of its COVID-19 inpatients were vaccinated, reported it had 103 coronavirus patients, 31 requiring critical care and one being a pediatric patient.

Total coronavirus-related deaths in the district totaled 631 as of Thursday, with 578, or 92%, age 60 or older.

It was just a little over a month ago PHD reported deaths attributed to COVID-19 broke the 500 mark.

Kootenai County’s positivity rate for the coronavirus fell for the fourth straight week to 14.9% based on 2,270 PCR deaths for the week ending Oct. 30. That’s the lowest since it hit 13.3% on July 31.

The state’s positivity rate fell for the seventh straight week to 10.3% based on 29,365 PCR tests. That’s the lowest since it hit 7.4%, also on July 31.

Health officials have said a 5% positivity rate is the goal.